What is Hantavirus?
Hantavirus is the name of a group of viruses spread by rats, mice and voles.. Hantaviruses usually cause mild illness, but some people can become seriously unwell.
Where does the name ‘hantavirus’ come from?
The name hantavirus comes from the Hantan River. In the late 1970s, scientists identified a virus in field mice living near the river while investigating cases of a serious illness known at the time as Korean haemorrhagic fever. The virus was named Hantaan virus after the river. As more related viruses were discovered around the world, they were grouped together and given the collective name hantaviruses.
How do you get hantavirus?
Hantavirus is usually spread by breathing in or touching the poo, pee or saliva of infected rats or mice. You’re more likely to get hantavirus if:
- you live or work close to rat or mouse poo and pee
- you handle rats or mice
- you’ve been bitten by a rat or mouse
It can sometimes spread from person to person, but this is rare.
Symptoms of hantavirus
Symptoms of hantavirus infection may include:
- high temperature
- body aches and pain
- feeling sick or being sick
- diarrhoea
- tummy pain
- headache
- shortness of breath
Treatment for hantavirus
Hantavirus symptoms usually get better on their own. But if your symptoms are severe, you may need treatment in hospital. In hospital, you may have:
- medicines, such as painkillers
- fluids through a vein
- help to breathe using an oxygen mask or ventilator
Adapted from: https://ukhsa.blog.gov.uk/2026/05/05/what-is-hantavirus-how-is-it-transmitted-and-what-are-the-symptoms/
